Skip to content

Museum object · Books and Published Materials

Their Eyes Were Watching God

1937

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States, North and Central America

COLLECTION RECORDImage not availableExplore the catalog description and source record.
Visit the source record ↗

Source catalog description

This description refers to material held by Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture. Visual details below describe the original material.

A signed, first edition hardcover book with dust jacket and a clear, protective plastic cover. The book takes place in early twentieth century Florida. The book recounts the life story of the protagonist, Janie Crawford, a young woman born during the Reconstructionist Era. The dust jacket is gold with central, black and white illustration featuring a male God-like figure in against a stormy sky. The figure is throwing down gold-colored lightening and thunderbolts to the flooded land below. In the lower left corner of the image is a small grouping of trees blowing in the storm. Along the bottom of the illustration, roofs of structures can be seen just above the water. The image is bordered in black. Above and below the illustration on the front cover is text in black. At the top [THEIR EYES/WERE WATCHING GOD/A NOVEL]. Along the bottom [ZORA N· HURSTON].

Sources & collection details

Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture — original record ↗

Source collection ↗

Catalog metadata · CC0 · Source checked 2026-10-13

Catalog reference: 2014.315ab

Continue exploring Series 1

Arts, Music & Culture →Civil Rights & Public Life →

Explore all Series 1 cards →